Fire rips through 200-year-old Rio museum

Brazil'sNational Museum in Rio de Janeiro, which is one the largest museums of natural history in Latin America, has been destroyed in a massive fire, just months after the building marked its 200th anniversary.

Roberto Robadey, a spokesman for the Rio fire department, is quoted by the Associated Press news agency as saying that the hydrants closest to the museum were not working and that firefighters had to get water from a nearby lake.

While Brazil's President Michael Temer-who the Guardianreports "has presided over cuts to science and education as part of a wider austerity drive" since taking office in a political "cold coup" by right-wing forces in 2016-called the losses "incalculable", it is precisely those cuts, say critics, which are ultimately to blame for the fire.

He continued in a statement, "Two hundred years of work, investigation and knowledge have been lost".

"I have also asked for a complete evaluation of the fire preparedness conditions of every other federal museum in the country", he said, "in order to verify the steps that need to be taken to avoid another tragedy".

We can hardly express how heartbreaking it is to see two centuries of scientific inquiry go up in flames so easily. But the deputy director suggested that the damage could be catastrophic, with most objects in the main building probably lost, except for some meteorites.

He said the museum, a former palace that was once the official resident of the royal family, had never had necessary support. The value of our history can not be measured by the damage to the building that housed the royal family during the empire.

The museum had also completed 200 years earlier in 2018.

The museum is Brazil's oldest. It was once the home of the Portuguese royal family.

The museum also housed an impressive collection of ancient Egyptian artifacts, including mummies, sarcophagi, statues and stone carvings.

Anthropologist Mércio Gomes said the fire was as bad or worse than the one that swept through the royal library in Alexandria, Egypt, in 48 B.C. - a symbol of great and awful loss of human knowledge. Firefighters have been on the scene for hours trying to extinguish the flames before they reach an area of the museum that contains flammable chemicals.

Brazilian Ministry of Culture Sergio Sa Leitao said the country "is in mourning".

The museum, Brazil's oldest, is managed by the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro and the federal government has been struggling with huge budget imbalances in recent years.

Another key issue is US tariffs on steel and aluminum imports, though it's unclear whether relief from those will be included. Throughout the day Friday, it became increasingly clear that Canada and the USA would be unable to reach an agreement.

When the scandal broke, the couple said they were anxious about giving Bobbitt the money because he might use it to buy drugs. The couple also bought Bobbitt a camper with some of the funds and parked it on land McClure's family owns in Florence.

Antonio Rudiger has warned Chelsea's rivals that they will keep improving under new manager Maurizio Sarri . Gullit added on the 27-year-old: "There were rumours that Real Madrid wanted Eden Hazard in the summer".

Williams booked a quarter-final date with Karolina Pliskova , the eighth-seeded Czech who beat Australian Ashleigh Barty 6-4, 6-4. She said she believes new mothers should be more prepared for the fact that it can take time to recover from childbirth.

DeSantis contends that this anti-business attitude would undo the economic gains Florida made under Republican Gov. President Donald Trump , also weighed in on the race by calling Gillum a "failed socialist mayor" on Twitter .

Hawaii was spared a direct hit from a major hurricane as Lane diminished to a tropical storm as it approached the islands . Danielle is the earliest fourth-named Atlantic storm on record.June 21, 2016 - Dissipates over east-central Mexico.

Linette, the world number 68 from Poland who was facing Williams for the first time, held her own in the early going. The tennis champion has sent a message that she will not let a dress code dictate what she wears on the court.

Articles

Nick Saban Has Named Alabama’s Starting QB For Week 2
Having to cover three games in four days, along with a College Gameday show, Taylor had little time to dwell on Saban's interview. We didn't learn until the offense ran onto the field that Tua Tagovailoa was going to be starting under center.

Gunfire heard on broadcast of Del Mar race
Gun shots were fired Sunday afternoon near the Del Mar race track north of San Diego . "Deputies engaged and returned fire". TVG documented the shooting while calling a race with a broadcaster repeatedly saying: "There is gunfire at the track ".

Sen. John McCain lies in state at U.S. Capitol
Le said they came seeking asylum, as he was a Christian pastor in Vietnam and had been arrested for practicing his faith. A former Colleague of McCain, Heckman said he flew across the country to attend the memorial. "My name is Joe Biden .